Wintering in the Riviera: With Notes of Travel in Italy and France, and Practical Hints to TravellersMiller, William James
Philosophy
Wintering in the Riviera: With Notes of Travel in Italy and France, and Practical Hints to Travellers
Miller, William James
Europe -- Description and travel; Italy -- Description and travel; Provence (France); Riviera (France)
It is strange and deeply interesting to look at these marble
representations, executed from the living person, of men who existed so
long ago, and whose actions are so noted in history. Where there are
more than one of the same man, they invite comparison to notice their
accordances or their dissimilarities. The galleries also comprise many
other objects of great attraction; for example, what is commonly called
‘The Dying Gladiator,’ which, thus seen in the original, far excels any
copy. Indeed, it is seldom that copies approach originals. They want
the delicate shades and lines, and other evidences of masterly power
denoting that marked superiority which raises the great creations of
genius above the works of the common herd. In another room we saw the
famous Capitoline Venus.
In a side street we were shown the place which is held to have been the
site of the Tarpeian Rock, from which malefactors were hurled; but if
this be the true site, the ground below has been much filled up, as the
height seems little enough for producing so violent a death. Near to
it the spot is also pointed out where Tarpeia opened the gate of the
citadel to the Sabines, and received the reward of her treachery.
In the centre of the Piazza the noble equestrian statue of Marcus
Aurelius arrests the eye. There is a vigorous power about horse and
rider to which no other similar statue rises. I have felt it impossible
to compare with it the equestrian statue of Charles I. at Charing
Cross, in London, or even that of Charles II. in the Parliament Square,
Edinburgh, although this last is considered a fine work of art. A
broad, handsome flight of steps conducts to the town below. Descending
a little way, there may be seen two wolves, kept within an iron–barred
cage in memory of the traditional story regarding Romulus and Remus.
We found not far from the Capitoline Hill the beautiful little
circular Temple of Vesta, which has been made familiar to everybody
by photographs and engravings, and in its neighbourhood a small part
of the Cloaca Maxima. This is a portion of the great system of drains
(either for sewage or for removing stagnant marsh water) with which
Rome was supplied. There it stands to this day, for everything with the
Romans was not only made adequate to subserve its purpose, but built to
endure, if only the destructive hand of man would let it alone.
* * * * *
It would, however, be perfectly endless to attempt to enumerate, much
less describe, all the ancient buildings of interest in Rome. There
are now upwards of twenty temples, about a dozen triumphal and other
arches, and many other buildings, more or less in a state of ruin. To
describe all these would be beyond the scope of the present work. But I
can hardly, in narrating our visit, omit to advert to one or two more
of the features of Old Rome still remaining.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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